Closure cap



Fume 29 1926,

- W. P. WHITE CLOSURE CAP Filed May 25, 1923 sures to different conditions of adaptability of the finished Patented .l une 29, 1926.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM I. WHITELOE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

AssIeNon To WHITE car COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

cLostmn cArj Application led Hay 25, 1923. Serial No'. 641,289.

This invention `relates generall to packages and containers for foodstu s and the like, and particularly to 1m rovements in' for coopera-4 the closures or caps designe l tion with suitable bottles, jars, or 'cans to form packages or containers 1n which such materials may be packed and from which they may be dispensed.

Because of the ver extensive and increasing use of merchantsing packages for the packing of goods, particularly of foodstuffs,

small items in the reduction of cost in the` manufacture of each container, or in its handling in the packing operations, or in its transportation, amount to very large savings in the aggregate, and are determinlng factors in the practicability and utility of containers of different sorts. Among the factors which go to determine the cost of a finished package in the hands l,of a retailer or consumer must be figured not onlyithe actual cost of production of the receptacle and the closure, but also the facility with which they may be manipulated in the packaging operations; the certainty with which they will perform their intended functions under varying conditions and thereby eliminate loss through Waste of receptacles and closures or spoiling of the material packed; adaptability of uniform receptacles and clopacking, such as hot packing, cold packing, vacuumizing, sterilizing, carbonating, etc.; elimination of special machinery or special fittings for the closing of different sized packages; and

package to compact assembly in cartons purpose of shipment. In addition to these, other conditions gauge the utility of the container, such as the readiness with which it may for re-sealing so as to be continued in use as a protection for the contents, the certainty and facility with which the packages may be stacked, as for display on the shelves of a retailer, freedom from parts which might injure the hands in handling or opening, and its neatness or attractiveness in appearance and capaci/ty for retaining the same.

It is the general purpose of my invention to provide a closure cap which will possess in the highest degree utility of such an article. More specifically of differentsizes of ,tacles such as tumblers, bottles,n

or boxes for the be opened bythe user, its capacity all of the features of stated', my invention has for its purpose the provision of a closure ca which may be manufactured economica y; which will maintain its proper shape and assembly of parts incident to packaging and handling; Which may be packed in quantities in small space so as to minimize cost in trans ortation to the packer who uses it; which is quickly and easily assembled with the receptac e on which it is to be used and will form a closure therefor preliminary to the actual sealing operation, so that the package may befreely handled Without danger of spilling the contents incident to the sealing operation; which will form an hermetic closure; which will form a very secure closure under different conditions, such as Where the goods are sealed in vacuo or sealed under pressure, and will not be displaced by internal pressures which may be generated incident to cooking or heat sterilizing of the sealed packages or be displaced incident to handling or transportation; which does not requirespcial machinery for the sealing operation or different fittings for the sealing closures; which is articularly effective as a closure for plain sided receptacles, such as ordinary tumblers having the walls about their mouths of cylindrical or conical form; which will accom! modate the permissible variations in size or roundness encountered in commercial recepand jars; which conforms closely to the receptacle on which it is sealed, so that the finished packages may be assembled in minimum spacer in boxes or cartons, thereby keeping down the cost of the boxes and transportation; which will adequately protect the mouth of the glass from being chipped or broken; which will facilitateJ the stacking of the packages; which may be easily opened. Without requiring the use of an implement; which, after its original detachment, may be used lrepeatedly to reseal the receptacle in such fashion as to prevent spilling of the contents; which forms a neat and attractive appearance; and in which all raW edges or margins of metal are effectively concealed so that they will not show rust and will not injure the hands of the user.

Further and particular objects of the invention, and the manner in which they are obtained, will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the appended claims or obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purppse of this applicatioir I have shown in t e accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, certain forms in which the invention may be embodied, but

it is to be understood that the invention may be embodied in other` and divers forms without departing from which I purport to secure by Letters Patent; and hence that the illustrative disclosures herein are not to be interpreted in any. fashion such as to limit my invention short of its true and most comprehensive scope in the art.

In the said drawings Fig. 1 is a part elevational view of a package or container illustrating the appearance of a structure embodying my 1nvention; i Fi 2 is a sectional elevation of a closure cap 1n associationwith a partial representation of a glass tumbler of a sort with which it may be used;

Fig. 3 is a part sectional elevation illustrating the association and cooperation between a receptacle and a vform of my 1mproved closure cap as assembled prior to the sealing operation;

Fig. 4 is a similar view of the same elements showing the relationship after the sealing operation;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but taken on a illustrating the relationship of parts after the sealing operation;

Fi 6 is -a detail in the nature of a perspective -ofa fragmentary portion of a cloposed within the cap in contact with the insure cap, illustrating one form of vent;

Fig. f( is a detail similar'A to Fig.. 6 illustrating another form ofvent; n

Fig. 8.is a detail in the nature of a perspective view of a fragment of a closure cap differing in particulars lfrom that illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2; the corrugations illustrated being in exaggerated proportion;

Fig. 9 is a detail in the nature of a fragmentary sectional elevation through a portion of the closure cap illustrated in Fig. 8;

l Fig. 10 is a top .view of a second modified form of the invention;

Fig. 1l is a fragmentary sectional elevation of the form illustrated in Fig. 10 illustrating the relationship of parts before the closure. is applied to a vessel;

- Fig. `12 is asimilarfragmentary sectional elevation illustrating the relationship of partsafter-'the formillustrated in Fig. 11

is applied Vto avcssel; and Y I Fig.- 13 is a similar fragmentary secional elevation 4showinga further modication of the'ffrin illustrated in Fig.

The 'nature of the invention will be most` readily understood-by reference these ildifferent diameter'of the closure,

lustrative forms in detail. My invention contem lates the use of a suitable receptacle, which 1s designated by the character A and a suitable closure which is designated by the. character B. The latter is preferably shaped out of suitable ductile sheet material, suchas light sheet metal, pressed or spun into the form of a cap or cover having t e 'usually circular top rtion 10 with the integral side portion 11 epending from the periphery thereof .in the form of an annular skirt'or flange. This skirt has an upper part shaped to form a gripping portion, same being here shown as of generally cylindrical orm, while ythe lower part of the skirt is of downwardly flaring or conical form, with its marginal portion turned inwardly` in suitable fashion such as to .form a flange 12 or other suitable edge finishing bead. 'The depth of the side portion 114s sufficient to overlap a substantial 4spaced circumferentially about the cap.

They may be formed by striking in small ortions of the material, as illustrated in igs. 6 and 7 to provide spacing members 15 proJecting inwardly from the side portion. An elastic compressible gasket 16, of

firm texture, such as of good rubber, is disner surface of the side portion. This gasket is preferably of the sleeve or tubular form and of such diameter that it will lit closely the flaring part of the side portion, its upper part being somewhat compressed within the cylindrical part thereabove. The result is that the gasket hugs the inner surface of the side portion closely, excepting where it is held apart therefrom by the inwardly projecting spacing members 15. The Width of the gasket is such that when thus assembled with its upper margin abutting the inner surface of the top 10, its lower margin will lie above the inwardly turned bead or flange 12, which will be effective to prevent its downward displacement from the cap, its upward displacement being limitedby the top portion. At different localities, preferably in association with the vent openings, limited areas in the marginal portion of` the top 10 are bent out of the normal plane to afford venting channels 17 extending across the upper margin of the gas ket. The thickness of the gasket is such that it will exceed the clearance between the outer relationship that when the closure is placed thereon in substantially the position illustrated in Fig. 3, it will fit suiliciently tightly to retain the closure i'airl securely in place, and prevent spilling or s opping o ut of the contents of the receptacle incident to the eX- pected movement to which it normally is subjected `after filling and before sealing. Due to the obtuse angle at which the flaring part of the side l1 diverges from the cylin-l drical part, the gasket takes a gradual inward taper, so that downward pressure exerted against the top of the cap, such as to move the latter on to the container, will gradually increase the com ression of the gasket between the wall o the receptacle and the side portion 11, which latter exercises a constraining eifect. It is preferable that the material in the side portion 11 have a certain amount of resiliency so that it may be slightly sprung outwardly incident to the seating of the cap, so as to assume a position somewhat as illustrated in Figs. 4

and 5. The result is that the farther the closure is forced on the vessel, the greater becomes the compression of the gasket and the tighter the seal upon the wall of the vessel. Through the cooperation of these factors a wide and very tight sealing zone between the vessel and the gasket is secured.

Incident to the upward movement of the vessel in contact with the gasket, the tendency upon the latter will be to wedge it outwardly and displace it upwardly, but its upward movement is delinitely limited by the top portion 10, against which it will be pressed tightly so as tobe highly compacted or compressed in the corner portion between the side l1 and top 10 and the outer wall of the vessel when the top ortion comes into contact with the rim o the vessel. tight packing of this particular area has particular importance, as will be pointed out presently. When the cap is first applied to the vessel with the edge of the latter in contact with the aring portion of the gasket there remains a considerable volume between the top portion and what would normally be the surface of the material in the receptacle, which space or volume will be completely or nearly all yeliminated in the seating of the cap, depending upon whether the vessel is filled full or nearly The full. If, for example, the vessel is being sealed at atmospheric pressure, such as ordinarily is done with commodities which are selfreservin or contain preserving materia s, or wit some commodities which it is intended to sterilize after sealing, this volume between the surface of the material and the top of the closure will be occupied by air, whlch would have to be compressed to half its volume or less if retained in the package during the complete seating of the closure. The `vents 14 are provided to afford outlet for this contained air incident to the seating f the cap, and they may function also as channels through which the amount of vacuum within the package may be increased incident to the seating of the cap. It is desirable that the vents 14 be placed high up on the side portion, so that they will be closed only after the cap has completed substantially all of its movement, as thereby the trapping and compression of air in the container is reduced to a minimum. The lpositioning of the vent openings near the top .of the cap is made feasible by the circumstance that the gasket is free to be compressed against the top of the cap and the part of the side portion immediately contiguous thereto, thus insuring the adequate` closing4 of the vent openings when the cap is forced home.

The desirability of having the portion of the gasket within the angle of the cap highly compressed has been mentioned above. In instances in which packages are sealed while their contents are hot, or under vacuum, the external air pressure, upon the cooling of the heated contents after sealing or the re-` moval of the vacuumized package from vthe vacuumzing apparatus, tends to depress or force inwardly the top sure. This exercises an inward tension upon the material adjacent the junction of the top and side portions, with the likelihood particularly in instancesy where very light material is used, of causing a wrinklinv or slight buckling thereof and possible injury to the seal of such nature as to result 'in leakage. Consequently it is important that that the material in the angular portions of the closure about lthe rim of the container be quite solidy supported by the compressed gasket material, and this is accomplished by the use of a free gasket which admits of being crowded and compacted about the portion of the clogasket over the vent being held apart from the vent opening by the s acing member 15,

the air is free to escape t erethrough, until, just as the cap reaches seated position, the upper margin of the vessel passes the vent opening and crowds the gasket material in- Ito it, incidentally urging the spacing memoy aiding in increasing tie vacuum in the sition.

package.

A. distinct advanta e of the invention resides in the fact that it doesnot require any special chucks or implements for re-forming ortions of the cap or constricting the gasket, incident to the sealin operation. The container is sealed simply by the,application of mechanical pressure against the top of the cap adequate to force it to seated po- Nor does the package have to be sealed in vacuo in -order that the closure be retained securely in place and an hermetic seal preserved. The area of contact between the gasket and the receptacle and the degree of compression induced in the gasket by the seating of the closure, together with the resilient tension induced in the side portion of the cap and the compacting of the gasket material in the to tain the closure so rmly and securely seated that excessively high internal pressures, exceeding those generated by the customary heat sterilizing practices, would be required to displace it. 1t is to be observed, further.- more, that the closure affords a seal thus secure upon ordinary straight sided tumblers. As is well known in the art, straight sided tumblers are much more in demand thanl special forms having shoulders or beads, or

-other features or characteristics designed particularly with reference to .the closure. The economy in the use of straight sided vessels resides not only in their low original cost, but also in their economy in space required to pack them in shipping cases. The economy in the use of straight sided receptacles is so great and the demand vbecause of their reuse value so exceptional that workers in the art have gone to great lengths in the devising of special and costly sealing machinery in efforts to supply the trade with vmeans for effecting hermetic sealing upon vessels of that type.

It will he observed that in Figs. 2 and 3 the vent channels are formed at relatively distant points by striking a limited portion of the metal of the top 10 upwardly out of the normal planethereof. `These vent channels may be formed in a variety of ways, one

angle, cooperate to remodified arran ement being illustrated in Fi 8 and 9. this construction the metal adjacent the periphery of the top portion is pressed into a knurled or corrugated form, parts being slightly de ressed out of the normal plane of the meta and alternate portions slightly raised out of that plane. 'l'he number of vent openings may vary with the sizeof the packa e, and the spacing members 15 ma be provi ed in various forms. It is desira le, however, that they be so disposed that compression of the gasket u on them".

will have the tendency to bend t em outwardly into the vent 'o enings.

Referrin now to t e modification illustrated in' igs. 10, 11 and 12 it will be observed that the top 10 is provided with aA series of circumfeientially extending depressions 18 which are located in4 such position that their bottoms will contact the rim of the vessel when the cap is seated thereon. Before application of the cap to the vessel, the upper margin of the gasket contacts the bottoms of these depressions, retaining the gasket against upward movement and out of contact with the portions of the top intermediate the ends of Athe depressions. The portions of the top between the depressions and the side portion of the cap remain in the normal plane of the top, so that an internal groove is afforded around the depressions, which groove is of suitable width to receive the upper portion of the gasket when side portion of the cap, thus sea-ling the vent apertures. The depressions alford a resilient area adapted to be pressed firmly into contact with the margin of the vessel without subjecting the latter to dangerous pressures, and the construction has the further advantage of reducing the possibility of any portion of the gasket being pinched between the rim of the vessel and the portions of the top arranged for contact therewith, as the coaction of the depressions and the rim of the vessel tends to wedge the gasket material toward the side portion of the cap. The form illustrated in Fig. 13 contains the features of the form illustrated in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, modified to the extent that the .vent aperture 14 is formed in the top portion of Ihe cap adjacent the side portion and in position where the gasket material will be compressed against it when the cap is seated on the vessel. In this form the spacing member 15 is not severed from the material of the side portion, but it is formed as an inward indentation, preferably as a continuous inwardly struck bead arranged to engage the upper portion of the gasket so as to restrain its upper margin in engagement with the bottoms of the depressions 18 until it is crowded outwardly off of the same when the cap is seated on the vessel.

When the closure cap is in place on a receptacle, the side portion projects slightly from the periphery of the vessel, affording a protecting girth which is of particular advantage on glass receptacles. However while necessarily greater than the area of the receptacle, the side portions are so close to the wall of the latter as not to materially increase the area necessary of the sealed package.

A particular advantage resides in the ease with which a package conforming to my invention may be opened. All that is necessary to accomplish this is to deform the side portion 11 either by rolling the package upon a hard surface with pressure applied over the portion 11, or tapping the latter in for the packing such fashion as to tend to straighten the angle between the cylindrical and conical portions. This expands the gripping portion of the cap so that the seal between the gasket and the side of the vessel is loosened and the friction there reduced, permitting the cap to be lifted off. The cap may be forced back on the receptacle to provide a fairly tight re-seal, suliicient to prevent spilling or rapid evaporation of the contents. The form of the cap does not in any fashion interfere with the stacking of the packages, and in instances in which the bottom of the receptacle is smaller than its mouth, as in ordinary tumblers, the portions of up-struck metal in the top, in the forms illustrated, in Figs. 1 to 9, inclusive, exercise the function of stops or guides eective to assist in the positioning and retention of one package upon another.

What I claim is l. A closure cap formed of sheet material and having a top portion and an annular side portion, the latter having a substantially cylindrical upper part and an outwardly flaring lower part, a gasket of compressible elastic materi-al seated against the inner wall of the side portion for contact with the top portion, the cap being provided with a vent opening adjacent the upper margin of the gasket, and a vent channel being provided across the top of the gasket.

2. A closure cap of sheet material having a top portion and an annular side portion, the latter having its lower part flaring outwardly from its upper part, an annular gasket seated against the inner surface of the side portion with its lower part conforming to the are of the side portion and its upper of the side portion,the cap being provided with by the gasket, and a vent channel being provided across the top of the gasket.

3. A closure cap of sheet material having a top portion and an annular side portion, a gasket of elastic compressible material arranged in contact with the inner surface of the side portion and limited against upward movement by the top portion, the cap being provided with a vent opening and being shaped to afford a vent channel across the upper edge of the gasket.

closure cap having a top portion and an annular side portion, `a gasket of compressible elastic material retained in the cap against the inner surface of the side portion, the cap being provided with a vent opening in position to be closed by the gasket, and a spacing member in association with the vent'I opening for holding the gasket away from the same.

5. A closure cap of ductile sheet material having a top portion and an annular side portion, the latter having a substantially cylindrical upper Apart and an outwardly flaring lower part, a gasket of compressible elastic material seated against the inner surface of the side portion and constrained thereby so as to substantially conform to the contour of the cylindrical and arin parts, the gasket being free for upwar movement on the side portion so that it may be compressed upon the top portion, and the cap being provided with a vent opening in position to be closed by the gasket.

6. A closure cap ofductile sheet material having a top portion and an annular side portion, the latter having a substantially cylindrical hpper part and an outwardly., flaring lower part, a gasket of compressible elastic material seated against the inner surface of the side portion and constrained thereby so as to substantially conform to the contour of the cylindrical and lia-rin parts, the gasket being free for upward movement on the side portion so that it may be compressed upon the top portion, and the cap being provided with a vent opening in position to be closed by the gasket, and a spacing member associated with the vent opening and effective to hold the gasket away therefrom until it is forcibly compressed. t

7. A closure cap having a top portion and an annular side portion, a gasket seated in the latter, the cap being provided with a vent opening, and a flexible spacing member arranged to space a portion of the gasket away from the vent opening.

8. A closure cap having a top portion and an annular resilient side portion, the latter having a substantially cylindrical upper part a ventopening arranged to be closed iso esy

and an outwardl flaring lower partterminating in an inwar ly extending member,a gasketof compressible elastic' material ass'eumfbled freely within the side portion, upward. movement of said gasket being limited by the top portion and downward movement being als limited by saidinwardly ,extending` member, and said gasket beingofadequate thickness to retain all parts ofthe vinde' portion out of contact with a. receptacle' encompassed thereby and the gasket ilaringat'fthe-fliottom,

to permit the closures being wedged to a substantially cyIindricalseaIing surface of closure cap adapted to cover the mouth of the same,

- side portion, a vent o said closure can having a top portion and an annular side portion, said top ortion having circumferentially extending epressed parts adapted to engage'the rim of the vessel, a gasket seated against the side portion for contact with the top portion, and the cap being rovided with a vent aperture in position to e closed by the gasket when the latter is compressed between said depressed parts and the side ortion;

11. A closure cap of flexible material having a top portion and an annular side portion, said top portion having a circumferentially extendin embossment pressed in the top adjacent t e side ortion, a flexible elastic gasket tted within the annular side portion with its upper margin arran ed for contact with said embossment, and t ev-cap being provided with a vent opening in position to be closed b the gasket when its ulpper portion is disp aced outwardly from t e embossment.

12. A container cap having a top and a resilient annular side portion, a sleeve gasket oi iexible elastic naterial retained by the ening being provided in the side portion a jacent its upper limit in position to be closed bythe gasket when compressed on a container..

13. A closure cap comprising annular side portion ilaring at its bottom and having a vent opening atits upper portion, a sleeve asket of flexible elastic material against te inside of the side portion and conformin to its flare, and a spacing member for -ho ding the gasket apart from the vent opening.

14. The combination with a vessel having lindrical mouthedl vessel, having a top tion and a resilient side portion depen in vat substantially a right angle thereto an re'ssible elastic material seateda top and annasa-fis? as substantially;'.,cylindrical peripheral ing surface, of a closure comprising a top and a resilient downwardly 4flaring `side portion, the latter provided with a vent open-l ing ad]acent .its up er limit, and a sleeve gasket of flexible e astic material retained within the side ortion and conformingto the flare thereof tor sealing engagement with the peripheral surface of the vessel, said gasket having a portion eiiective to close the ventopening. W

15.4 A closure cap for a substantially cyorhaving a 'flaring lower part, and a gasket of compressible elastic material confined against outward movement by the side portion and free for upward movement on the same into abutment with the top portion, said gasket covering the side portion 't' its smallest diameter and Haring at 'its' lower part, whereb a substantial portion of the gasket Inay and side portions w en the cap is forcibly seated on the vessel. l

16. A closure cap having a top portion and an annular resilient side portion, a lower part of the side ortion being flarin and a part thereabove eing of smaller diaineter to form a grippin portion, and a. sleeve gasket of compressi leelastic material retained in the cap i and lcovering the gripping portion, said asket flaring at the bottom and arranged ir contact with the top portion of the capfwhereby the gasket may be compressed about the mouth of a vessel between the outer surface of the same and the gripping portion and top of the cap whenkthe cap is forced onto the vessel.

17. A closure cap comprising a top portion and an annular side portion, an upper part of the latter shaped to form a gripping portion and the llowerepart flaring out at an angle from said gripping portion and terminating at an inturned edge, a sleeve gasket of compressible elastic material covering the inner wall of the side :portion and free at its lower edge but limited' against upward movement by the top rtion and against downward movement y said in'- turned edge, said gasketiiaring at its bottom to permit the closures being wedged onto the substantially cylindrical mouth of a vessel to seat the top portion against the rim of the mouth.

18. A closure cap comprising atop portion and annular side portion Haring at its lower part, the top portion being 'formed with a downwardly extending embossment arran ed for contact with the rim of a vessel wen the cap is seated thereon, and a sleeve gasket of compressible elastic material overl in the inner wall of the side portion with its upper edge arranged to cone com ressed against the topv tact the embossment, said embossment cooperating with the marginal portion ofk the vessel to wedge the gasket outwardly against the side portion as t e cap is forced to seated position on the vessel.

19. A closure cap comprising a resilient top portion and annular side portion ilaring at its bottom, a sleeve gasket of compressible elastic material overlying the inner wall of the side portion, the cap being formed with a downwardly extending embossment in the top for cushioning contact with the rim of a vessel when the cap is seated thereon and having a groove adjacent the junction of the top and side portions into which the edge of the gasket is adapted to be compressed when the latter is wedged outwardly incident to the seating of the cap on the vessel.

20. A closure cap comprising a top portion and annular side portion having a flaring lower part, a sleeve gasket of compressible elastic material overlying the inner wall of the side portion and flaring at its lower part in the flare of the side portion, the cap being formed with a circumferentially extending groove near the upper part of the gasket for reception of a part thereof when the gasket is compressed between the si`de portion and the wall of a vessel incident to the forcible application of the cap thereto.

In' testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM P. WHITE. 

